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Did our Forces of Light and Progress gain ground or lose yardage this week? I try to evaluate how we did every week — usually on Saturday before I’m influenced by the Big Talking Heads and Opiners. We being the anti-fascist, pro-People Power, pro-Earth, DFH peace-lovers, in our battle with the Evil Borg Bush-loving replicants who’ve stolen our country to drive us over the cliff.
And this week is a toss-up for me.
Onetime Ken Starr underlings Amy St. Eve and John Bates demonstrated their obeisance to Dear Leader and his wealthy, powerful pals, illustrating yet again that this Regime’s hold on the US judiciary will long outlast its own tenure.
On the other hand, freshmen Senators McCaskill and Webb called for the creation of an independent, bipartisan commission to investigate wartime profiteering in Iraq.
But: Preznit Chimpy McFlightsuit, before undergoing his “procedure,” announced that US Attorneys were an enamation of his will and therefore may never prosecute Congressional contempt citations in cases where He has claimed His Executive Privilege.
Harry Reid got back in our good graces by making Grand Obstructionist Party (thanks, CHS!) Senators show their true colors in a grueling nightlong speechathon about our Occupation of Iraq. Unfortunately, Reed-Levin failed to overcome cloture. Fortunately, Harry Reid pulled the Defense Authorization Bill. Unfortunately, this may carry Bush’s War all the way into September. Which emboldened Petraeus’ number-two guy to talk about reporting benchmarks in November instead. An idea promptly knocked down by none other than a nervous Mitch McConnell. So, did we win or did we lose?
We learned about startling but par-for-the-course theocratic political pressure in the Surgeon General’s office. And that the former 2008 GOP frontrunner blames his campaign’s implosion on the sexuality of his knitwear.
So far, fifty-three American servicemembers have lost their lives in July in Iraq, while US Forces command paid Rand Corporation $400,000 to determine that Team USA’s “force” brand was doomed from the start.
1,700,000 Americans who make minimum wage or less will get a seventy-cents per hour increase on Tuesday. Average earnings for the top twenty-five hedge fund managers in 2006 were $570,000,000. In total, these twenty-five people “earned” fourteen billion dollars.
We get to ask Presidential candidates questions. But Congress can’t ask Presidential appointees questions.
So, next week, can we do better? Got any ideas how we might do better?
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TSF!
Great post Teddy!
They have cast down the gauntlet, to gain we must pick it up! Do we have the courage for the confrontation ahead? More to the point, do our leaders?
Wow. Sometimes it all seems so overwhelming. I like this blog bc it helps energize me and keep me going.
Teddy
Please explain to me what “gay” sweaters look like. I always thought McCain looked terrible in everything.
nonplussed @ 3
I hope some true leaders emerge from this mess. I think the public is hungry for one.
I’m becoming very frustrated, the more we find out about the depravity the more brazen they become
for instance, abu torture is still the ag
for instance, they outright defy to even appear before a subpeona and is any action taken?
no
the president decrees whoever he wants to declare a non person he can do it with no process what so ever
the president declares that anyone he says did nothing wrong can never be subjected to the law
what kind of ground have we gained?
we’ve gained the knowledge that our republic is gone, we’ve gained the knowledge that we now have a king
and we’ve learned the democrats are ass holes for allowing it
hello!
Every time I write a long thoughtful post, I get epu’ed
BigMitch @ 9
Tell me about it. I try to think and write short posts but still wind up closing the door and turning out the lights, or so it feels.
Nice post, Teddy.
TSF!
Change can’t be measured in a week or in a specific event, especially not in matters as complex as we’re in now. Some of this is like the melting snow that creates an avalanche: you don’t see it coming.
Keeping on, talking/writing/demonstrating/praying/mediating….change is brewing, even if you can’t see it yet.
Last week my family and I drove through Nevada and Utah. On a billboard on east-bound I-80, just as you say farewell to Elko, the Dalai Lama beams out at drivers, with a message that peace takes work. Not necessarily something one would expect in a desert but then, our expectations may not match the reality that is teeming and developing around us. Never give up. Never, never, never.
I didn’t realize how much happened just this week!
BigMitch @ 9
The “noggin” one? Bring it up here.
FWIW, I think we are winners on balance for the week. The all night obstruction party got people’s attention. As an editorial in the Hartford Courant said on Thursday, it was a stunt but a damned effective stunt. And they called bull sh*t on HoJo’s war mongering in the second paragraph and said that he was delusional and living in an alternate universe. Quite a joy to read actually.
Another point to the good was the letter that the WATB from the Pentagon sent to Sen Clinton and her response. Combine this with the denial of Rep DeFazio (from the Homeland Security committee) the right to review the government continuity plan, the congress is waking up at last.
We just have to stay vigilant and in their faces.
My $.02
janda @ 6
Where is Winston Churchill when we need him? Enough of these D appeasers.
Twain @ 5
I always thought any sweater could be “gay” if it was thrown over the shoulders with its sleeves tied around one’s neck. But I never saw Old Lord McCain doing that. I think he’s casting about to blame someone.
First the sweaters; next the Media.
Do emanations of the president’s will take an oath to uphold the Constitution against all enemies both foreign and domestic? Or do they simply swear allegiance to the President and to uphold his will against all who oppose him?
LS @ 15
Behindthefall and others,
You have hit on the big question, which supercedes all others. I am convinced that the Bush administration has no regard for the constitutional protections that make America so durable, and so free.
One question is this: is this sui generis, or is it same-old same-old. 2000 wasn’t the first stolen election, and you can just ask Landslide Lyndon about how it was done in the old days. But then again, 2000 was the first time the shenanigans had the imprimatur of the Supreme Court of the United States of America. Iraq is not the first time a war was started on bullshit. Think Vietnam, or if you are historically minded Spanish American war. (In other words, Remember the Maine.) But this war is so monumentally misguided that it is beyond different in degree: it is different in kind. Crooks in office? Does anyone think Agnew was first, or Nixon was last?
Of course, we are talking about the rise of a fascist government in America. It can happen here. We know what it will look like. It will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross. But what will if FEEL like?
It will feel like 1939 in Germany. And that is why it is so important to know, what did they feel?
One thing is they had a bogeyman, i.e. my family, the Jews. The 21st Century Fascists try to have a bogey man, namely “Libruhls.” But there are too many of us for that to work. As I discuss this, I feel like I am grasping at straws to make the case that this is not what the rise of fascism feels like.
But my gut isn’t persuading my noggin.
Ummm… the “Emanation” thing is..umm…infuriating..
Meditate. Breathe..
How does one spell the sound of the emotion:
“Rage”.
LS @ 21
I think it’s ARGHHHHH!!!
wigwam @ 19
What if they are swearing fealty to Bush? I wasn’t automatically convinced that Sara Taylor “misspoke”
I wonder how Pat Fitzgerald feels, knowing he is an “emanation of the President’s will?”
Elliott @ 23
I am certain that they are.
Oh dearie me, and the media used to be his “base.”
LS @ 21
Rage Against The Machine
TeddySanFran @ 24
Now, that just sounds nasty.
When they came for the sweaters, I was silent because I am not a sweater.
When they came for the media, I was silent because I am not a medium.
(I am a large, which is why they call me Big Mitch)
I think Sara Taylor did not misspeak. I think she revealed the existence of an actual oath. I think a second oath, to Bush, exists and has been sworn. Not a big deal to get these naive, young, inexperienced people to believe such a thing is “usual, matter of fact, part of doing business.”
But one of them will crack, and I bet it’ll be Harriet.
Anyway, how about that $400,000 Madison Avenue expense to tell the Pentagon that their “force” brand isn’t selling to Iraqis? Tell that to the dead ones.
A prez. that not only cherry picks facts but laws here will recognize (but not follow), surrounded by a praetorian guard in all branches of government. An emasculated legislative branch, and a media that is at its best a small dog, happy when big daddy feeds it scraps of carefully crafted lies. Yes as the 80’s Russian comedian use to say “what a country”.
I like this definition of emanation:
# To “flow out from.” In Saiva Siddhanta philosophy, God Siva creates and is His creation. Siva’s creation of the world from Himself is described in scripture as being similar to “sparks issuing forth from fire” or “a web from a spider.” This vision of cosmic creation contrasts with other views such as “creation out of nothing” (Judeo/Christian), or non-creation–a view in which reality is permanent and always existing (Meykandar Saiva Siddhanta and other dualist and pluralist schools).
http://www.himalayanacademy.com/resou…..ssary.html
When they came for the pajamas media, I was asleep.
marymccurnin @ 33
I was eating Cheetoes and still a teenager…
TexB @ 25
I’m sure that in her mind she did swear an oath to the President when she was actually swearing to the constitution. And she was quite ungracious and dismissive of Sen Leahy when he called her on it. She just needs to be shown the truth of the matter and that her fealty was in the wrong direction.
Does everyone here agree with TSF that the all-night debate was a winner? I am not sure.
I think for the average person, it appeared that “much was said, but nothing was done.” The Dems sure as hell didn’t stop the war.
It was nice to see Harry Reid jab a little (boxing metaphore. But I am listening to the Yankee game, so it was nice to Harry throw one high and inside.) To be perfectly honest, I still don’t know what happened, other than nothing.
When the Defense spending authorization comes up again, if the ammendment can’t withstand closure, then make the Republicans stand up and talk until the cows come home, and then vote. That would be accomplishing something.
argosfalcon @ 31
Yakov Smirnoff
I think we made some real headway this week, momentum.
And with each new order or act or whatever, BushCo smells worse and worse. I think pretty soon it’s going to be so rank no one can pretend not to smell it.
argosfalcon @ 31
Ya’akov Shmirnoff.
eCAHNomics @ 26
I think the Media is waiting to fall for Fred, and Mrs Fred.
Speaking of candidate’s wives, did anyone watch AC360’s special coverage last nite entitled “Running Mates?” I was especially struck by their Edwards coverage. Anderson Cooper actually said, “Whatever your impression of John Edwards, there’s no question people admire his wife.” They are really training all the attack dogs on Edwards.
One of AC’s female guest commentators said, “With the very notable exception of Mrs Giuliani, these wives are professional, accomplished women in their own right.” We LOL’d here at chez TSF.
BigMitch @ 36
Sometimes pissing up a rope is worth it (if you are Vitter).
Bernadette Peters!
Hiya, Teddster. What’s shakin?
Elliott @ 38
I worry, though, that at the exact point when it becomes so rank it’s intolerable, the hammer of fascism will fall upon us all.
BigMitch @ 36
I think it was a winner, for instance, momentum.
What a good idea to evaluate before Sunday talking heads! This week we have seen things slip slip slippin’ away as per some dastardly plan preznit seems to be following, ‘things to be done before end of my term’, or perhaps ‘things to be done so my term doesnt end’. sick feeling in pit of my stomach tells me maybe week not so good. that executive order just awful, the torture statement too vague, burble burble burble.
One bright spot, Fitz on “Wait Wait” this morning — that was fun and clever.
Have had a hard time not expressing or even thinking really mean thoughts about preznits procedure. now it is over so that problem might abate! now, wherz the tums
Nanz @ 45
a humble fella
re Churchill
any aspirant to comparison needs
a certain skill in language?
Nice job, Teddy — I vote for a good week, over all. Any time you force Fred Hiatt and David Brooks and Mitch McConnell to whine about Harry Reid, while we celebrate the fact that he hung the Republicans on their on war votes — that’s a good week.
TeddySanFran @ 43
I hope you’re wrong!.. [crossing fingers]
I only think the all-nighter was a winner if they have more of them, Mitch. The media fell into the “stunt” frame quickly, showing the cots being unloaded, and saying they weren’t used; showing the pizza arriving, and saying it went uneaten.
If Harry Reid would cancel the August recess — very dangerous anyway, given Dear Leader’s predeliction to appoint — that would make real headway. They’ve lots of work, the building’s air-conditioned. Why not work?
Teddy!!! Excellent post!
This is one of the best statements I’ve read in a while; “We get to ask Presidential candidates questions. But Congress can’t ask Presidential appointees questions.” DeFazio being denied COG access merely adds to the Unitary Executive, this precedent needs to quashed, once and for all!!!
Just posted the funniest mural ever, sent to me by a friend.
http://thebetsyblog-betsy.blog…..-wall.html
Scarecrow @ 48
Harry did box out Warner-Lugar pretty well, didn’t he? As well as that awful Salazar WINO-saving Compromise.
jacqrat @ 42
jacqrat! FYI – I believe it was Boston1775 that you felt slammed you at the end of Donita’s thread yesterday and he has left a number of comments apologizing profusely that that was in no way his intent, that he was in fact prasiing your comment.
Well what would motivate people to take more action? We could tell them again how we were lied into a war, no, they don’t seem to mind being stripped of their Constitutional rights and civil liberties either. They don’t seem to care that the ship of state is being steered into an iceberg by a dry drunk lunatic. Or is it that the 28 per cent that back little boots are so rich and powerful, that the rest of us have been made to feel powerless, and how do we the majority take back the power and put these criminals out?
may @ 47
At a minimum. But I was thinking more of someone with the ability to recognize how dire the situation is. None of the prez candidates show any command of the obvious.
TexB @ 52
lol. That made my night. Thanks!
LS @ 32
Okay, you force me to do this.
In mystical Judaism the idea of creation is discussed extensively. In a nutshell, before Genesis, God was everywhere. The first act of creation was a contraction, in which God made a space for the universe to exist. Then God filled this space with ten emanations, called in Hebrew, “Sefirot.” They are: 1. Total Consciousness: I am that I am. 2. Wisdom. 3 Understanding. 4. Mercy. 5. Judgment. 6. Beauty. 7. Contemplatin. 8. Intellect. 9. Foundation. and 10. Majesty
The words used here are imperfect translations of the names of the Sefirot, but you get the idea.
Pearl Jam – Betterman
BigMitch @ 58
That is really lovely. Thanks for sharing.
TeddySanFran @ 50
I agree 100%. To answer your rhetorical question, they have to raise money. Sucks, doesn’t it?
argosfalcon @ 55
Tell them there won’t be another American Idol until they start paying attention to the fact that the country they were born into may very soon be lost forever.
And no Simpsons Movie either!
Tammy Faye (Baker)Messner has passed away! RIP!
TammyFaye was on Larry King, at her request, earlier this week. Oh we gayz will miss our TammyFaye.
((((Rest in Peace Tammy Faye.))))
Does anyone know the link as to which members of Congress have singed up for impeachment?
CTuttle @ 63
RIP
eCAHNomics @ 66
hold their feet to the fire.
Elliott @ 67
RIP.
Re: the all night debate, it seems the members have their prepared speechs, some very good and passionate, they get up and deliver them and I just have the sense no one is listening there in the room– I wondered if someone gave the best, most stirring speech ever made, if anyone would be listening to acknowledge it? I don’t think so, even in a regular session– no one listens to anyone else. And so, no wonder it seemed like a waste of effort, a grandstanding. Too much Mr. Deed’s I guess. Not like that now, probably was never like that! what can make them listen to each other and get some genuine work for the people done, not the parties?
I’m no Christian ideologue, yet, I empathize with her demise, Teddy! I’m not even Christian! (Baha’i!)
Elliott @ 23
I agree, and I’d like to know exactly who took loyalty oaths to the President or to the Republican party.
List and photos of the reps who’ve signed on for impeachment.
http://mikk2.wordpress.com/2007/07/22/i-i-i-i-i/
Well Teddy that just might do it, no Simpson’s thats harsh but hard problems require tough solutions. I just keep feeling like I’m in survivor “fascist Island” with no chance at immunity and they don’t vote you off the island. They declare you an enemy of the state and ship you to an undisclosed location for re-education.
argosfalcon @ 55
Well how’s about this? Say a very handsome NFL guy enlists after 9-11 because he was brought up in a patriotic home, and he heard his country’s call. And then he gets killed in action, so the government tries to use it as a propaganda device. But it turns out that he was killed by friendly fire, when he heroically tried to stop an internecine firefight. And then it turns out that the fucking dickwads in the White House knew this, and they LIED about it!!! And Then When the Congress investigated they said, “FUCK YOU! WE GOT EXECUTIVE PRIVI-FUCKIN’-LEDGE!!!
That would do it, don’cha think?
Guess not.
Figuring out whether the all-nighter was a winner should be easy. Did most Americans see an image of the sign that said, “Let us vote” ?
I don’t think so.
BigMitch @ 75
hard to believe, that one.
BigMitch @ 75
You’re right, Mitch! I’m only reading/hearing about Tillman within the Left Blogoshere!!!
Elliott @ 77
TILLMAN!!!!!
anyone posted on sports blogs comments?
I’ll tell you this: As typed that, my blood pressure just kept rising and rising, and now, I feel like I could punch a hole through a wall.
TexB @ 73
Thanks. Will email Maloney (city) and Hinchey (country), neither of whom has signed on yet. Maloney is useless, but Hinchey’s pretty good.
BigMich I’m shocked that you would think our government would do such a thing. Use a solders death as a cheep political ploy. Oops wait, my bad they did.
Sometimes I wonder if Harry Reid pulled his allnighter so we’d all be nicer next month at YKos. They must be worried about the Leadership Forum, where Rahm, Pelosi, Reid, and Durbin are scheduled to appear.
CTuttle @ 78
Then make sure you keep talking about how Tillman was killed and how the Tillman family was lied to and how the admin and president is hiding something to all your NFL fan friends. It will eventually penetrate but you have to keep it in their focus.
TexB @ 73
Great link, thanks!
Teddy, can’t wait to meet you in person.
You don’t have a facebook?
eCAHNomics @ 82
I’m certain Neil Abercrombie will jump on board, I’ll work on Mazie Hirono, my congresscritter!
Well what would motivate people to take more action?
Real leadership?
argosfalcon @ 83
Can you believe the righties who brush off the combat casualties with “they signed up.” ?
jayt @ 89
Lets not ask for the moon (snark)
TeddySanFran @ 50
Inclined to agree. If they push it hard, I think the Republicans will crack. Too many up for reelection, and the war is genuinely unpopular.
Just thinking outloud.
Nancy Pelosi is not a dope, and she was thinking about Congress before I was born. There must be a good reason why she said I is off the table.
I think she inuited correctly that the Republicans would over-play their hand. And this executive privilege is the most easy to understan way in which they have done so.
But it has to get attention, which we all agree Tillman has not. Arresting Harriet Meiers wil get attention, plenty.
That is why I concluded last night that Conyers decision to pursue inherent contempt remedies was the biggest news of the night. Now, in honor of TSF, excellent post, I will not declare was the biggest news of the week, IMHO.
Well instead of a draft, let have a lottery everyone want to win the lottery?
A-Rod has a double and a homer already in tonights second game, and he is up with bases loaded …..
long sacrifice fly, Yankees have a 14-5 lead.
BigMitch @ 95
You certainly do multi-task well.
BigMitch @ 93
It’s off the table till it isn’t, I think.
Sometimes “doing it reluctantly, because the country insists” is the best way.
I still trust Nancy.
We’ll see if I’m wrong.
Just thought you would want to know. Someone here hates John Sterlings voice and in two innings, I may do my imitation. Fair warning.
Ian Welsh @ 98
Yeah, I think we agree.
BigMitch @ 93
You give me another chance to pull this from my wishin’ & hopin’ chest:
Daily Kos: Is Nancy Pelosi a freakin’ GENIUS??
http://www.dailykos.com/storyo…..315…
As rabidly as I have wanted impeachment for the demifascists in this administration, I have long realized that, in spite of their egregious violations of law and human decency, it was extremely unlikely …
mitch – are the baseball comments saying that you would prefer to be on a sports blog rather than a political one?
Hey Suzanne!
Elliot — the linky doesn’t work. Summarize?
Ian Welsh @ 98
That is my hope.
Hi Suzanne.
I admit, I like to provoke discussion.
And what is more provocative than being a Yankee fan?
No Facebook for me (yet) Betsy. And I still haven’t signed up for g-mail, either, in case anybody else is wondering…
But I will! It’s on my honey-do list, I promise!
Well, Mitch, you can be provocative and hijack threads over at your place – this is Jane’s place.
LS @ 105
Ian Welsh @ 92
D members of Congress, to be pragmatic about it, need to be convinced that more money can be raised by staying in session than in going home to campaign.
Reid needs to open the Senate for business every single day, even if for just five minutes. And – with most of Hollywood being Democratic – why doesn’t the party take advantage of the talent there? Hire a political-savvy producer, put him/her on retainer, and create more, better, impossible-to-ignore “media moments”?
BigMitch @ 106
Worst. Choke. Job. EVER!
BigMitch @ 100
The thing people forget is that she doesn’t have a solid working majority. Say what you will about Murtha, but when she lost that particular vote it was a big defeat. There is a solid rump of conservative democrats who are simply not reliable on many issues. Pelosi has to be scared of what happened under early Reagan, where the Dems theoretically controlled the House, but because a rump voted with the Republicans, in effect it was a Republican controlled house.
Now, of course, Pelosi could be playing us. But I’ve been a fan of hers (and I’m not and never was of Reid’s) for a long time. I’m giving her more rope. She’s one hell of a savvy parliamentary politician who knows how to count votes and twist arms. The question to me is whether she’s maneuvering towards impeachment or not. And we can’t know that, and if she was, I wouldn’t necessarily expect her to admit it.
BigMitch @ 104
I apologize!
I couldn’t do it justice in summary
Is Nancy Pelosi a freakin’ GENIUS??
BigMitch @ 106
I was almost tempted to ask who was on the other side of that spanking.
TeddySanFran @ 107
I am giving facebook classes in the bar at YKos. :)
Anyone know the length of the upcoming recess? Is it really a whole month here in the US, like in Iraq?
Elliott @ 113
That’s what I’m hoping.
TexB @ 115
LS @ 117
It’s my heartfelt desire.
Mr. Springs,
Happy Almost Birthday
OT
OMG, listening to some jerk on C-SPAN2, who’s explainng why everything good that ever happened in the U.S. came from the South. Ahem, admitting to my prejudice, and at risk of offending some FDLers, in my opinion, if he would like to secede, I’d give him a big good-bye hug & kiss.
I’ll admit this was a busy workweek for me, and I didn’t check TradMed as religiously as I sometimes do, but I don’t think the overnighter penetrated into American consciousness much. I know the “solidarity march” to the Senate by supportive House members didn’t reach many people.
Americans are done with Iraq, and Americans are still dying in our occupation of that country. We want to get out now, and Democratic Senators are accused by Pentagon flunkies of enabling enemy propaganda by asking about an exit strategy. It’s time for Democrats to catapult their propaganda through the media filter, with email blasts to constituents, YouTube videos, and blog discussions. Also Town Hall meetings, if they do take August off.
And the August recess is very worrisome, with regard to appointments. Any recess appointees next month with last until this Administration exits, presuming they do.
I would a wonderful thing if this is a carefully crafted plan expose these insects, and remove little boots and the evil one from office simultaneously.
Elliott @ 119
Nanz @ 70
I think it was worth it. No Republican wanted to stand there and make a fool of himself or herself for the whole period, so they made each other share the pain. Half of them stood there and said they supported the ISG recommendations, which was so laughable. They were saying that the way out was laid out by wonderful Baker, who got Bush elided into the White House. But Bush never listened. Now they look so lame to say instead of getting out, maybe we should try a brand new strategy that has sat on the shelf for six months and is out of date. None of them defended Bush like taking the pro side in a debate.
Downside: week sucked. Congress has abdicated unless it impeaches, I feel. Impeaching and losing all will be less humiliating than remaining in session and rubberstamping the rest of the putsch.
“Hogdog” fighters. I’m freaking fu*king out!!!
Dogs attacking poor hogs/pigs…they scream in pain and fear… and the mofos..can’t acknowledge that they feel pain.
That is the essence of the problem – right there.
If you are in TX, you might hear my scream in sorrow…..I’m cryin’.
TeddySanFran,
Sorry for being slightly OT but are you familiar with The Hunger Site? It is a site where folks can go once a day and click the big yellow button and the sponsors provide food to those who are in need. The front page explains the purpose (scroll down a bit in your explorations).
There are five other companion sites with the Hunger site. After you click the yellow button, they take you to the Thank You page. If you scroll down a little, there is an update of the amount of food provided today. Then there are five more buttons before an update of the total amount of food provided yesterday.
You can click on each button in turn and will be taken to the associated site where another big button is waiting for a click. After the click you get another thanks page.
The other sites are:
The Breast Cancer Site (pink button) that provides free mammograms for poor women.
The Child Health Site (blue button) that provides health care to poor children.
The Child Literacy Site (red button) that provides books
The Rainforset Preservation Site (green button) that saves rainforest land.
The Animal Rescue Site (purple button) provides food for shelter animals.
It takes about a minute to click through all the buttons once a day (on broadband – dial-up can take a little longer obviously) and the small actions can help many others. I do it myself first thing each morning after checking my e-mail. I hope others will join me in making this a regular part of the day.
time to take the dog out
More on “Was the all-nighter a winner.”
My previous comments overlooked this fact. The Republicans, each of them, were forced to say things that will not be appreciated when they are played back to them during the next election.
So, the all-nighter may have been a good thing, but one whose fruits are yet to be seen.
I say the week was a loss for our country – boosh expanded his unitary executive plan to be king, essentially told congress to go fuck themselves on several different occasions, and nothing has slowed him or his agenda down.
LS @ 125
Once you condition out empathy and compassion from a population and instill a sense of dominion over other living things as tools for your entertainment. This stuff happens.
Suzanne @ 129
You said it perfectly.
We can’t let that prevail. We can’t!!
TeddySanFran @ 122
So much of the gain was the DEMs finding a spine in the senate that night..and assuming leadership again.. As I mentioned before I see it as a rehearsal..a good one.
I too, am worried about momentum being lost with the recess and Bush owning the air wave in constant false repetition..
And though I read here before it occurred that the Speaker and members of the House would march on the Senate.. I never once heard about it on the television, before or after.
Unless they arrest Harriet and Gonzo, give them each a personal chamber pot, before they lock up and go on vacation… I don’t think they should go at all.
About half of the corporate owned media got the message and framed things correctly. Positive (in the sense of knowing what the Dems were doing and supporting it) editorials came from places like the Rocky Mountain News, Hartford Courant, Boston Globe, and others. The message is slowly penetrating.
argosfalcon @ 130
Rome.
BigMitch @ 106
Being a Shrub supporter! Oh, wait, aren’t they part and parcel of the same ‘Evil Empire’??? :P
Further evidence of Suzanne’s point (that the week was a net loser)
The president announced new rules for interrogation of detainees. Actually, they didn’t do anything to address the problem, but he did use some magic words, like “Torture is not permitted.” His definition of what is not torture would shock the conscience of anyone with a conscience, which excludes him.
The reason all of this is a net loser, is that TradMed played it as “Bush outlaws torture.”
(shhhhhh. The Yankees won.)
Suzanne says
July 21st, 2007 at 7:31 pm
…nothing has slowed him or his agenda down.
Yet.
he’s the guy who jumped off a 100 story building, has just passed the 20th floor, and is thinking – ‘hey, everything is great so far!’.
Sudden stop coming soon.
dakine01 @ 16
Well said and I agree completely. My great thrill and out of the blue surprise was learning my Congresscritter Sam Farr has called for impeachment. He signed on to Congress Murtha’s poorly supported call to action last fall just last week and this week he went public with endorsing impeachment.
Sam Farr is a fine man and succeeded Leon Panetta when he became Clinton’s chief of staff. The latter served on the ISG and enjoys iconic status on the central coast. Sam Farr is considerably more dyed in the wool progressive and low key but represents our district a whole lot better than old bipartisan Panetta who began his career as a Republican in Nixon’s White House.
If we can just keep them out of Iran a bit longer I feel a major turning point on the horizon. I know many republicans here on the Monterey coast and the majority are horrified with the Bush Cheney gang, truly horrified.
do u all realize that the powers that be control both party?they all play acting . but the show must go on till the curtains are closed forever on us.
BigMitch @ 136
We don’t torture its enhanced interrogation.
argosfalcon @ 140
My bad.
Suzanne @ 129
This is the scariest part. He loses cases after case in court, except when he and Cheney can steer cases to Judge Bates or other sympathetic Federalist cronys, and yet nothing seems to stop them or even slow them down. Abu Gonzales is still there, and his illegally appointed non-recused underlings are giving Fred Fielding advice that may eventually be appealed to John Roberts’ Supremes, where all rests on the clarity of mind of Justice Kennedy. Given his penchant lately for joining the Kewl KKids opinions, that’s a great risk.
And the Regnery & Regent seedlings throughout the bureaucracy just burrow in further each day, doing their damage and letting our nation fail.
Inherent contempt in the WaPo this morning, on the Op-Ed page, was kind of a shock — but will it sink in?
(Unrelated to our nation’s progress or lack of same, but contributory to my good mood this week, we saw a preview of Kiki and Herb Tuesday nite and wow!)
The president announced new rules for interrogation of detainees.
Which, if I’m not mistaken, applies only to CIA detainees, the number of which is – One. Uno. (the latest reallyreally important Al-Qaeda in Iraq guy)
Doesn’t necessarily apply to Pentagon – so military prisoners are not covered by the Order.
feel free to correct me if I’m wrong.
jayt @ 143
I’m supposed to trust them that there is only one? And that it doesn’t apply to others?
One is one too many.
TeddySanFran @ 122
Absolutely. Do they have to take a recess?
If not, I tell you, in my company alone, a lot of us aren’t taking long vacations this year either, so I share their pain. Things are really tight for people I know. The gas situation has hit our small company hard (While the oil companies share record profits). This caused an increase in all our distributors prices (helium up, Libby down). Home Depot is taking a hit right now because of the slump (flockquote/housing bubble) in new homes sales. But thank goodness for the hurricanes & floods (plywood and sandbag sales) or they’d be out of business.
The “We couldn’t do anything because we were in recess” excuse will not fly, will it?
Polypps, Indeed!!
jayt @ 143
Yours is my understanding as well.
BTW is there a link to the DeFazio dustup. I am working on him for impeachment and would like to give him any credit (and I know he derserves a lot. There is about a 3000 word statement on his site opposing the invasion of Iraq in ‘03) from my little corner of the mold.
I would rather be working for him on impeachment rather than on him for impeachment. yuk, yuk. (old school for *g*, I think) Guess it could be both!
sal @ 139
So nows the time to go out in the lobby and get junior mint and a coke? I would much prefer a old 19th century west scenario when the audience rises up chases the actors off the stage and out of town. But thats just me.
jayt @ 143
No sure if I’m right, but thought DOD affirmed Geneva-type rules about a year ago.
BigMitch @ 106
Hillary’s neckline?
jc in OR @ 147
Someone had a link last thread
edit: comment #56 last thread
Excellent Post, Teddy.
Helps puts things in perspective and lay out next weeks battles more clearly.
I hope this will be a weekly feature here.
jc in OR @ 147
here
DiFazio link
Urban Pirate @ 152
Thanks! I live to please you all, as TRex taught me well….
sal @ 139
I agreed with this sentiment through the Clinton years and the rise of DLC Dems.
I do not think Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi, and many of the others we helped elect last Fall are part of the conspiracy however. It’s about reclaiming the DemocratIC Party from the Conglomerate interests, and we’ve been making significant progress in this respect. It is imperative that we build upon this momentum since we still have so far to go. Do something everyday to help this process, no matter how small it may seem.
Why, oh why, I wonder why, do the wingnuts choose names with authoritarian roots?
Suzanne @ 144
Well – officially there is only one. But didn’t I also hear this week that the admin admitted that they are once again using “black sites”?
jayt @ 143
I assume you are NOT wrong. But my point is that the actual thing that Bush did was a big nothing. (You seem to agree.) It was played as a big plus for Bush — he’s taking a stand against torture.
Suzanne @ 154
It was great they got Ornstein at AEI to comment!
He’ll probably get a call from Rover soon, or get a visit from the black heliocopters.
The dog days of August would be a whole lot cooler if the House would only draft up the Articles of Impeachment and prosecute them in the Senate!!! There’s still time! I’ve got the popcorn in reserve for it!!! 8-)
bonkers @ 156
Does nagging Nancy 3 or 4 times a week count?
TSF
Ornstein goes to Rennaissance weekends. He’s not your typical AEIer.
Not bad wages for those hedge fund managers: get a fixed fee income plus a percentage of the profits. Oh, yea. Their “earnings” from risking other people’s assets are taxed at capital gains rates – 15% – about half the rate of total tax paid by Warren Buffett’s secretary. Congress may still be considering fixing that lil’ loophole, though the Goopers think that would be soo unfair.
from the Rand report link:
In an urban insurgency…(civilians) are less likely to help, the study says, when they become “collateral damage” in U.S. attacks, have their doors broken down or are shot at checkpoints…
Yes, civilians are much less likely to help us after we’ve killed them.
That’s $400,000 worth of brilliance right there. From a genuine think tank, filled with genuine smart people.
I thought the DFH-left missed an opportunity to flood St. John’s Senate office with homo-sex-u-al sweatah’s after the story broke. Even CNN and the AP’s John Solomon might have been forced to discuss the story and context.
TeddySanFran @ 160
So much for his job security! Ya don’t bite the hand that feeds ya!!! ;-)
CTuttle @ 161
It’s funny most of the time I thought of August as the hight of summer fun. Now I fear I’m living in the opening chapters of Barbara Tuckmans (sp.) book the “Guns of August”.
eCAHNomics @ 163
Those would be some photographs I’d love to see leak out – IIRC attendees wear Renaissance costumes on such weekends. Bet cha lunch Ornstein dons king’s clothing. ;~)
TexB @ 73
List and photos of the reps who’ve signed on for impeachment.
http://mikk2.wordpress.com/2007/07/22/i-i-i-i-i/
from that link:
House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers has said that if three more Congress Members get behind impeachment he will start the impeachment proceedings.
(my bold)
This evening’s email to Senators Boxer and Feinstein:
You ‘pups are so inspiring! Thanks for the reminder.
TSF — thanks much for that choice of YouTube! Ah, not quite as powerful or trumpeting-brassy as Ethel Merman, but Peters can do a lovely job as Annie, can’t she? I like Tom Wopat’s voice, too, projects a kind of Big Dog Clintonesque quality to the Frank Butler character.
And the graphics are cute as a bug’s ear, would love to see if my daughter could try her hand at something like that.
newspaperbrat @ 169
Think you may have the wrong impression. I meant the Renaissance weekends,with discussion panels on topics ranging far & wide, in Hilton Head that were started by Bill Clinton.
I am sure the good conservatives at the DLC will keep him around.
We’ll know soon enough if Pelosi has set up an elaborate trap. That would be fantastic of course, and if true, she’s needs to be Prez ASAP.
Still though, I can’t help but wonder how much we’d know BY NOW if the screws were tightened starting in Jan/Feb. Sure, someone can say that’s what’s been happening all along and every little bit of info is building to some big finale, but seems to me the Dems haven’t been pursuing much more obvious and easy to understand issues.
Basically, I think they could’ve been much more agressive and started to get some of the rats to turn on themselves in order to protect their own asses. Time tells all…
Well my physical self tells me to quit using my arms so good night all, and “keep the faith”.
Rust never sleeps and neither does the movement for right and freedom.
bonkers @ 175
If Bush and Cheney are impeached, she becomes President, no? Perhaps another reason why she said, I is off the table. Unseemly to sound too ambitious, Ms. Pelosi.
jayt @ 143
So what happened to all those people being held in Europe by the CIA?
Rayne @ 172
I’m a Bernadette fan. And the artist who penned the story is quite talented, I think. Glad you liked it — went with the “better” theme, I thought.
Eureka Springs @ 174
Doh!!! I forgot those DINO’s actually subscribe to their skewed views!!! :~)
FYI, Thers is upstairs
argosfalcon @ 176
nite, af.
Ornstein is probably the only sane and rational scholar a the AEI.
New threadiness:
http://www.firedoglake.com/200…../#comments
BigMitch @ 177
As a guest of Moyers’ pointed out, she has no right to suspend any part of the Constitution anymore than the Preznit does. I intend to ask her next month at YKos if she has plans to suspend any other parts of the Constitution.
It’s not her right, seemliness or no.
TeddySanFran @ 155
It is good to do roundup of the week. Quiz us Teddy!
Hillary had a good week!
Thanks for the linky TexB – 15 signers and 5 of them from California. We can do this firepups! Let’s get to work and identify the missing progressives and give the good Judiciary Chairman Conyers another three new signers and more.
Great letter to Boxer & Feinstein dear Teddy – you are so awesome!
As did her cleavage.
Keep on keeping on.
We didn’t fall into this shit hole in a week, and clawing our way out will be long and painful.
The minute people started paying attention (Katrina by most accounts) things began to shift.
But if you want a sea change, you need a fillibuster proof majority in the Senate, ad plurality in the House and a responsible Executive.
And when we have all that, we are only in the position to begin putting things straight.
The way I figure it, my 7 year old daughter will be footing the economic bill for our vets, reconstruction and reparations, and willfull neglect of global warming.
I’m beginning to agree with Pelosi. Impeachment (of Bush) should be off the table.
Instead, impeach his enablers. Gonzales, Cheney, Rice, Rove (he sure has been lying low lately, hasn’t he?), tar & feather Bill Kristol, etc.
Show the idiotic shithead what a real bubble feels like.
TFS: I do not mourn, but thank God, that Tammy Faye has gone to God, finally, after her illness. As a woman who studied theology in the 70s, the husband-wife megachurch and television evangelists did little to help women be taken seriously as clergy or as theologians. And did little for the culture and our country.
I love you more than I do her. My sympathy.
Women in the clergy are having a difficult time right now. Clergy are having a difficult time for a different reason altogher. The Catholics have always been a little screwed by their orthodoxy (which having studied with priests, they laughed at)but they are more screwed with His Highness of the Red Guicci Slippers and the double-breasted fitted white coat.
I applaud you, always, and am truly sad at anyone’s suffering.
a really cool post. listen to sam seder’s show, not played on KQKE, but you can hear it live on the Portland Air America station or at http://www.airamericaradio.com, lpm Pacific Time. I think you’d love it.
You overlooked the farm bill action in the House Ag committee. It’s a major loss for the grassroots Dems and it looks a lot like Pelosi’s fault.
TeddySanFran @ 188
If I might Teddy, I saw the much noted Hillary peek-a-boo for a few seconds, live. She looked as if she’d been up the night before (puffy around the eyes), but I did notice the much-noted cleavage. What can I say – I wanted so much to like Hil – and she looked great. Not floozy, great, just feminine in a way I had never seen her before. She looked great.
Elliott @ 44
i’d agree.
we are going to have to do a lot of priming the pump.
the republicans have to be made to see that they are going to be made accountable.
so there are going to have to be a lot of votes and they are going to have to be forced to show their hand(s).
again and again.
until we get 67 votes in the senate.
to get to That much momentum we have to force them to eat their special vintage shit.
steadily.
LS @ 32
In the case of Bush, the more accurate term would not be “emanation” but “flatus”.
Actually, I meant “afflatus”…which is where Bush appears to get most of his ideas about his Presidential powers (or perhaps from the lips of John Woo or Dick Cheney)
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/afflatus
You left out the fact that the US military command is now as politicized as the DOJ.
It just doesn’t seem as though impeachment is getting anywhere. Where’s the Jackal?
“Emanation” is misspelled in the text as “enamation.” I agree it’s infuriating.